Paddle wheel for boats or the like



June 22 1926 F. LAVIGNE PADDLE WHEEL FOR BOATS OR THE LIKE Filed Apr" 18,

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PIERRE LAVIGNE A T TORNE Y.

Patented June 22 1926.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

. PIERRE LA IGNE, or WINNIPEG, MANITOBA, CANADA.

PADDLE WHEEL roe BOATS R LIKE.

I Application filed April 18, 1925, Serial No. 24,164; and in Canada April 19, 1924.

My present invention appertains generally to improvements in the art of water craft and specifically to the propelling incchanisni thereof.

The invention consists essentially of the novel features pomtedout broadly andspecilically in the claims for novelty following the description containing an explanation in detail of an acceptable form of the invention.

The main object of the invention is to provide a simple apparatus which can be easily mounted in a. row boat, canoe or similar water craft, which will be eflicient in operation as apropelling means and which can be installed or removed with expediency and facility.

A further objectof my invention is to provide a propelling means for a boat including propeller wheels mounted for rotation on tllGjOP'POSllLG sides of the boat and means for controlling the operation of either of the propeller wheels as desired.

An additionalobject is to provide, in a mechanism as set forth,.paddle wheel blades which, when they leave the water,will not lift water and thus retard the rotary motion.

My invention is further characterized by the provision of-operating means for rotary propeller wheels as described, including an oscillatable operating lever connected to the paddle wheels by means of ratchet gear mechanism so that the oscillation of the operating lever will cause continuous rotation of the rotary propeller wheels.

' With the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear more fully as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the novel combination and-arrangement of co-operating elements as hereinafter more specifically set forth, claimed and shown in the accompanying drawings forming a part of the present application, and in whichi 1 Fig. 1 is a fragmentary plan View, illustrating the application of my invention to the hull of a boat.

Fig. 2'is a fragmentary sectional eleva tion of the structure shown in Fig. l. v

Fig. 3 is a-transverse vertical section as it would appear when taken substantially on the plane designated by the line 33 on Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary perspective view illustrating the ratchet gear mechanism for transmitting the reciprocating drive motion torota-ry motion for rotating the propeller Wheels, and

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the line 5-'5 on Fig. 2.

Like numerals of reference designate corresponding components throughout the different views.

The term hull hereinafter employed is intended to designate the hull of water craft, of any approved form to. which the invention may be applied, as indicated in the annexed drawingsby the numeral 6. I

A rotatable propeller shaft 7 extends transversely of the hull 6, being .journaled in the bearingsS and 9 mounted on the upper edges of the sides thereof. This shaft is rotated by means of the oscillatable lever 10 which is fulcrumed as at 11 to the bracket i2 mounted upon the bottom of the hull 6. tremity of said lever with the foot operating member 14', which in turn is pivoted as at 15 to the bracket 16.

The mechanism for rotating the shaft 7 connecting rod 13 links the lower ex upon oscillation of the lever 10 includes a reciprocatable'inember- 17 which is pivoted to the lever 10' as at 18'. This member 17 is provided with dual laterally spaced and parallel racks l9 and 20 having opposed teeth which mesh with the annulargears 21 and 22 mounted side by side on the shaft 7 The annular gears are engaged by means of pawls 23nwhich engage the interior ratchet surfaces 24 thereof, with the spaced flanges 26 and 27 of the hub 28, between which the guide bars 29 and 30 are freeto reciprocate to keep the gears and racks in proper mesh. The pawls are encased by means of the face plates 30 and31. 1

y The propeller mechanism includes: two propeller wheels on opposite sidesflof the hull 6 and designated in their entirety at A and B. Each propeller wheel includes a hub 32 mounted at theouter end of the shaft 7, being constrained in place by the coil spring 33 on the outer ends of the shaft, the same being retained in position by the collar34. The inner end of eachhub 32 is serrated, as best shown in Fig. 1 for engagement with the clutch collars-- 35. 32 are adjusted on the shaft 7 to "engage and disengagethe clutch collars 35 for propelling and idling purposes, by means of the levers 36 which are pivoted as at 37 on the sides of the hull 6 and embrace said hubs as The hubs at 38, (see Fig. 1) said levers being adjusted by means of the rods 39 which are connected thereto as at 40, the latter being retained in position by the brackets 41.

Each hub 32 is provided with annular castings 42 and 43 through which the propeller blade rods 44 extend and seat in said hubs, being retained in position by means of the hubs 45 on the arms 52. The upper ends of said rods are braced by the braces 44.

Propeller blades 46 are mounted on the outer ends of the rods 44 by means of the brackets 47 to which the propeller blades 46 are adjustably connected by means of screws 48, or equivalent members extending through longitudinal slots in said brackets and into or through said propeller blades.

As best shown in Fig. 5, the outer edges of the propeller blades are formed arcuate as at 49 to provide a greater water displacement area than would be provided if the blades were formed straight.

The propeller blades 46 are normally constrained separated, as shown in the drawings, when out of the water, by means of the coil springs 50 which are connected to the inner ends of the pins 51 slidably mounted through the castings 42 and 43. These pins are engaged by arms 52 mounted upon the rods 44.

In operation, the operator of the propeller wheels may occupy a suitable seat, not shown, arranged rearwardly of the lever 10 and foot operating member 14, so that the hands conveniently engage the former and the feet bear upon the latter. The lever 10 is then oscillated to reciprocate the connecting member 17 and thus alternately rotate the annular gears 21 and 22, so that the internal ratchets thereof successively engage the pawls 28 and rotate the shaft 7 and release the same when each working stroke is reversed, thereby continuously rotating said shaft and the propeller wheels A and B.

The propeller blades 46 are held in an oblique position pointing out with the arcuate edges advanced and on reaching the water, the leading arcuate edges will spread, forcing the rear portions of the blade to close. lVhen at the-surface of the water after the leading portion has been removed, the Water contained Within the rear portion will force the blades to separate with the assistance of the coil springs 50 that hold the blades open when above the surface of the water.

From the foregoing it will be apparent that I have provided a simple mechanism for propelling boats whereby one may obtain a forward return motion for the propeller wheels by continuous oscillation of the operating lever 17. I also provide propeller blades which when leaving the water will automatically open so that very little water, if any, is raised, thus obviating unnecessary splashing and retardation of the rotary motion.

WVhile the preferred embodiment of the invention has been described it is to be un derstood that minor changes in the details of constructions, combination and arrangement of co-operating elements may be resorted to within the scope of what is claimed without departing from the spirit of the invention.

What I claim as new is:

1. The combination with a boat hull, of a transverse drive shaft journaled thereon;

propeller wheels mounted on the ends of said shaft, including pluralities of pairs of pivotally mounted propeller blades extending radially from said shaft, the blades of each pair of propeller blades being arranged in angular relation; clutch mechanism for engaging said propeller wheels with said shaft for propelling purposes; oscillatable drive means; and inter-connecting gearing for rotating said drive shaft by said oscillatable drive means.

2. The combination with a boat hull, of a transverse drive shaft journaled thereon; propeller wheels mounted on the ends of said drive shaft; annular gears, free to 1'0- tate about and independently of said shaft, in one direction, engaged by ratchet mechanism with said drive shaft to rotate same when rotated in reversed direction; an oscillatable drive lever; and a member connected thereto carrying gear racks meshing with and driving said annular gears.

3. The combination with a boat hull, of a transverse drive shaft journaled thereon; propeller wheels mounted on said drive shaft at the sides of said hull,including pluralities of spaced pairs of pivotally mounted propeller blades extending radially from said shaft, the blades of each pair of propeller blades being arranged in angular relation; clutch mechanism for engaging said propeller wheels with said shaft; annular gears, free to rotate about and independently of said shaft, in one direction, engaged by ratchet mechanism with said drive shaft to rotate same when rotated in reversed direction; a manually oscillatable drive lever; and a member connected thereto carrying gear racks meshing with and driving said annular gears.

In testimony whereof, I afiix my signature.

PIERRE LAVIGNE. 

